| Osek | |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | South Bohemian |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Strakonice |
| Pushpin Map: | Czech Republic |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the Czech Republic |
| Coordinates: | 49.3183°N 13.9633°W |
| Established Title: | First mentioned |
| Established Date: | 1392 |
| Area Total Km2: | 13.92 |
| Elevation M: | 450 |
| Population As Of: | 2024-01-01 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 647 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | CET |
| Utc Offset1: | +1 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 386 01 |
Osek (German: Ossek) is a municipality and village in Strakonice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 600 inhabitants.
The villages of Jemnice, Malá Turná, Petrovice and Rohozná are administrative parts of Osek.
Osek is a common Czech toponymy. The word Czech: osek denotes a cut trunk and it also could mean a cut forest.[2]
Osek is located about 7km (04miles) northeast of Strakonice and 52km (32miles) northwest of České Budějovice. It lies in the Blatná Uplands. The highest point is a hill at 506m (1,660feet) above sea level. There are several fishponds in the municipality; the largest of them are Velký and Bašta. The ponds are supplied by the stream Petrovický potok.
The first written mention of Osek is from 1392, then known as Vosek or Wossek. It was probably founded in the second half of the 14th century. The village began to grow around the lord's court, on which a fortress was probably built before 1414. Osek was acquired by Wenceslaus IV as escheat. He divided it among his minions.[3]
Until World War I, the villages of Osek, Petrovice, Malá Turná and Rohozná were administrative parts of the municipality of Radomyšl, and Jemnice was a sovereign municipality. Shortly before World War I, the villages separated and created a new municipality. In 1924, Osek was renamed to its current name.[3] In 1961, Jemnice joined the Osek municipality.[4]
The I/4 road (the section from Strakonice to Příbram) passes through the municipality.
The railway line Strakonice–Blatná runs through the municipality, but there is no train station. The municipality is served by the station in neighbouring Radomyšl.
The most important monument is the Osek Castle. The fortress from the 15th century was completely rebuilt into the current pseudo-Baroque castle in 1911. It has valuable interiors. Today it serves as a home for people with disabilities. Next to the castle is a park founded in the early 20th century.[5]